Universal air nozzle adapter

ABSTRACT

A universal air nozzle adapter includes a casing including a first air hole connectable to a US type air nozzle, a second air hole connectable to a UK type air nozzle, and air inlet for communication with the first and second air holes; a switching valve mounted in the casing for controlling the air inlet to connect the first air hole or the second air hole, and at least one air nozzle connector detachably mounted on the casing and each having an end connected with one of the first and second air holes and the other end connected with one of different types of air nozzles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to aerators, and more particularly, to auniversal air nozzle adapter, which is connectable to any of a varietyof air nozzles.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, an air nozzle connector is adapted to receive one singletype of air nozzle, for example, a US type air nozzle connector isconnectable to a US type air nozzle only, and a French type air nozzleconnector is connectable to a French type air nozzle only. In order toimprove the problem of single use and to extend the applicability, adual-usage air nozzle adapter is developed. A dual-usage air nozzleadapter is applicable to two different types of air nozzles, like UStype air nozzle and French type air nozzle. However, because regular airnozzles are of diverse types, the dual-usage air nozzle adapter may notbe applicable in some cases. Therefore, different air nozzle connectorsand/or adapters may have to be prepared to fit different air nozzles,causing inconvenience for the user.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a universal air nozzle adapterthat eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is one object of the present invention to provide an air nozzleadapter, which is compatible with US type air nozzle as well as UK typeair nozzle. It is another object of the present invention to provide anair nozzle adapter, which can be installed with different air nozzleconnectors for connection with different types of air nozzles.

To achieve foregoing objects of the present invention, the universal airnozzle adapter of the present invention is comprised of a casing, ablock member, and a clamping member. The casing includes a head and abody extended from a side of the head, the head having a first couplinghole for receiving a US type air nozzle and a second coupling hole forreceiving a UK type air nozzle, the body having an air inlet. The blockmember is mounted inside the head of the casing, having a first air holeand a second air hole both communicating with the air inlet. A packingmember is mounted inside the block member and between the first air holeand the first coupling hole. A gasket is mounted between the secondcoupling hole and the second air hole. The clamping member is mounted ata side of the body of the casing, having a clamping tip corresponding tothe second coupling hole and the second air hole. A spring member isprovided between the clamping member and the body of the casing forkeeping the clamping tip contacting against the casing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a universal air nozzle adapteraccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the universal air nozzle adapteraccording to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 indicated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, showing that a locking lever is turned to alocking position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the universal air nozzle adapter of thepresent invention connected with a US type air nozzle for operation.

FIG. 6 is another sectional view of the universal air nozzle adapter ofthe present invention connected to the US type air nozzle for operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a universal air nozzle adapter in accordancewith the present invention is comprised of a casing 10, a block member20, a clamping member 30, a locking lever 40, and a switching valve 50,

The casing 10 includes a head 11 and a body 12 extended from a side ofthe head 11. The body 12 has an air inlet 121 inside for communicationwith an inside of the head 11. The body 12 can be directly connectedwith an aerator or an air tube of the aerator to enable the air inlet121 to communication with the aerator. The head 11 includes a firstcoupling hole 111 for receiving a US type air nozzle, and a secondcoupling hole 112 for receiving a UK type air nozzle.

The block member 20 is movably mounted inside the head 11 of the casing10, including a first air hole 21 and a second air hole 22 respectivelyconnected to the first coupling hole 111 and second coupling hole 112 ofthe head 11 of the casing 10. Further, the first air hole 21 and thesecond air hole 22 communicate with the air inlet 121 of the casing 10.The block member 20 is provided with a seal ring 201 to prevent the airpassing through the air inlet 121 and the air outlets 21 and 22 fromleaking out of the head 11. A packing ring 13 is mounted between thefirst air hole 21 and the first coupling hole 111 and is deformable tohold a US type air nozzle tight in the first coupling hole 111. A gasket14 is mounted between the second air hole 22 and the second couplinghole 112 to prevent the air passing through the second coupling hole 112and a UK type air nozzle from leaking out of the second coupling hole112.

The clamping member 30 is pivotally mounted at a side of the body 12 ofthe casing 10, having a clamping tip 31 at an end thereof and a fingerstrip 32 at the other end thereof. A spring member 33 is mounted betweenthe body 12 of the casing 10 and the clamping member 30 for generatingresilience to force the clamping tip 31 to tightly contact against thegasket 14 when the air nozzle adapter is connected with a UK type airnozzle. When the finger strip 31 is pressed, the UK type air nozzle canbe moved away from the second coupling hole 112.

The locking lever 40, as shown in FIG. 3, is pivotally mounted at a sideof the head 11, having an end contacting against the block member 20, asshown in FIG. 4. When the locking lever 40 is turned to a lockingposition, the locking lever 40 pushes the block member 20 forwards toforce the block member 20 against the packing ring 13, thereby causingthe packing ring 13 to deform to hold an air nozzle tight.

The switching valve 50 is mounted in the block member 20 for switchingeither connection between the air inlet 121 and the first air hole 21 orconnection between the air inlet 121 and the second air hole 22. Theswitching valve 50 includes a valve chamber 51, two air passages 52 and53 extended from the valve chamber 51 and respectively connected to theair holes 21 and 22, a guide hole 54 connecting the air passages 52 and53 to the air inlet 121, and a valve ball 55 movably mounted in thevalve chamber 51 for blocking the air passages 52 and 53. The airpassages 52 and 53 each have a respective smoothly circularly archedorifice (not shown) for accommodating the valve ball 55. Further, theblock member 20 has a recessed portion 15 at a side thereof. Therecessed portion 15 is smoothly curved inwards, having two oppositelateral sides respectively disposed in communication with the guide hole54 and the first air hole 21, and a bottom side disposed incommunication with the second air hole 22. A smoothly arched cover plate16 is provided inside the casing 10 and covered on a top side of therecessed portion 15, defining the aforesaid valve chamber 51. The airpassage 52 extends through a top side of the smoothly arched cover plate16. A seal ring 161 is fastened to the cover plate 16 to seal the valvechamber 51.

When connecting the first air hole 21 to a US type air nozzle 90, asshown in FIG. 5, the locking lever 40 is turned to the locking positionto lock the US type air nozzle 90 to the head 11, and then the casing 10is connected to an aerator 91. In the meantime, when compressed air ispumped from the aerator 91 to the nozzle adapter, the compressed airsequently passes through the air inlet 121, the guide hole 54, the valvechamber 51 and the air passage 53 into the second air hole 22 where thepressure is relatively lower. Referring FIG. 6, when the air iscontinuously supplied, the valve ball 55 is sucked by the suction forceof the air flow to be moved to the orifice of the air passage 53,thereby blocking the connection between the valve chamber 51 and the airpassage 53, and therefore the supplied air is forced to pass from theair inlet 121 through the guide hole 54, the valve chamber 51, the airpassage 52 and then into the first air hole 21 and the US type airnozzle 90. According to the present preferred embodiment, the switchingaction is achieved automatically. However, the switching action is notlimited to the use of the aforesaid switching valve. Any suitable manualor automatic switching mechanism may be alternatively used for theaforesaid switching valve 50.

The invention further comprises at least one valve connector detachablyinstalled on the casing 10. According to the present preferredembodiment, the body 12 of the casing 10 includes two mounting slots 122recessed at two sides thereof. A needle type air nozzle connector 61 anda cone tip type air nozzle connector 62 are respectively detachablymounted to the mounting slots 122. The needle type air nozzle connector61 has an end connectable to the first coupling hole 111 and the packingmember 13, and the other end connectable to an air valve of aninflatable ball or the like. The cone tip type air nozzle connector 62has an end connectable to the first coupling hole 111 and the packingmember 13, and the other end connectable to an air valve of a life buoyor the like. The locking lever 40 has a mounting slot 41 runningtherethrough. A French type air nozzle connector 63 is detachablymounted to the mounting slot 41. The French type air nozzle connector 63has an end connectable to the first coupling hole 111 and the packingmember 13, and the other end connectable to a French type air nozzle

As stated above, the first air hole and the first coupling hole of theuniversal air nozzle adapter, except receiving a US type air nozzle, canbe connected with the French type air nozzle connector, the needle typeair nozzle connector, or the cone tip type air nozzle connector forconnection with any of a variety of air nozzles. Further, the second airhole and the second coupling hole are adapted for connecting to the UKtype air nozzle. Therefore, the universal air nozzle adapter of thepresent invention is compatible with any of a variety of regular airnozzles.

1. A universal air nozzle adapter comprising a casing having a head anda body extended from said head, said head having a first coupling holefor receiving a US type air nozzle and a second coupling hole forreceiving a UK type air nozzle, said body having an air inlet therein; ablock member mounted inside said head of said casing having a first airhole and a second air hole, said first and second air holescommunicating with said air inlet of said body of said casing and saidfirst and second coupling holes of said head, a packing member mountedtherein between said first air hole and said first coupling hole forholding the US type air nozzle tight in said first coupling hole, and agasket mounted between said second coupling hole and said second airhole; a clamping member mounted to said body of said casing and having aclamping tip corresponding to said second coupling hole; and a springmember provided between said clamping member and said casing forgenerating resilience keeping said clamping tip of said clamping membercontacting against said casing.
 2. The universal air nozzle adapter asdefined in claim 1, wherein said block member further comprises aswitching valve therein for switching either connection between said airinlet and said first air hole or connection between said air inlet andsaid second air hole.
 3. The universal air nozzle adapter as defined inclaim 2, wherein said block member comprises a valve chamber, a firstair passage connected between said valve chamber and said first airhole, a second air passage connected between said valve chamber and saidsecond air hole, a guide hole connected between said first and secondair passages and said air inlet, and a valve ball movably mounted insaid valve chamber for blocking one of said first and second airpassages.
 4. The universal air nozzle adapter as defined in claim 1,wherein said block member is movable inside said head of said casing;said head of said casing block member comprising a locking leverpivotally mounted thereon to be pivotable for pushing said movable blockto compress said packing member to further deform said packing member.5. The universal air nozzle adapter as defined in claim 4, wherein saidlocking lever comprises a mounting slot and an air nozzle connectordetachably mounted in said mounting slot.
 6. The universal air nozzleadapter as defined in claim 5, wherein said air nozzle connector is aFrench type air nozzle connector.
 7. The universal air nozzle adapter asdefined in claim 1, wherein said casing further comprises at least oneair nozzle connector detachably mounted on said casing, said at leastone air nozzle connector each having an end connectable to said firstcoupling hole and the other end connectable to another different airnozzle.
 8. The universal air nozzle adapter as defined in claim 1,wherein said casing further comprises two mounting slots respectivelyformed in two opposite lateral sides of said body thereof, and two airnozzle connectors respectively detachably mounted in said mountingslots.
 9. The universal air nozzle adapter as defined in claim 8,wherein said two air nozzle connectors are respectively a needle typeair nozzle connector and a cone tip type air nozzle connector.